Although Daytona will never offer the quality of rides offered by and around the Black Hills during Sturgis, there are some interesting routes that many still don’t know and should discover during the upcoming Daytona Bike Week. Victory Motorcycles published their 10 most recommended rides. Of course, some recommendations leads to Victory events. In these couple of cases, the destination is as important as the ride…

Here are 10 Rides Well, actually, nine, but you’ll see what they mean.

1. Ride Main Street and Beach Street
Main Street is where it’s at during Daytona Bike Week. It’s where people go to be seen, and you have to check it out. Cruise the street on your Victory, then park and take in the sights, day or night. It’s a guarantee that on every visit to Main Street, you’ll see something you’ve never seen before (whether you want to or not), especially at night. Beach Street is enjoying a resurgence of activity and traffic, spurred in part by the opening of Indian Victory of Daytona at 402 N. Beach St. (Phone: 386-323-9075).

2. Ride on the Beach and to the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse
Where else is the beach so immense that local officials can establish two traffic lanes on the beach every day? You can ride for miles on Daytona Beach, and it’s a spectacular place to soak in some sun, sea scents and a fresh breeze. Stop and shoot some photos, then proceed south on A1A to the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse. It’s an extremely well-managed park and the historic lighthouse – illuminated now for 126 years – is a sight to behold. Worried that your bike got sandy and salty on the beach? There are bikini bike washes all over town.

3. Ride to St. Augustine
You want historic? Take a ride north from Daytona to the city of St. Augustine, the nation’s oldest city, founded in 1565. Check out the web for info about the area, including the historic fort, the lighthouse, the beach, and the nature loop ride. It’s a great day trip during your visit to Daytona.

4. Ride to the Kennedy Space Center
For a day trip south of Daytona, head to the Kennedy Space Center, long the home of America’s space program. You can take a fascinating tour and see several vehicles used for space travel as well as the immense facilities used to house and launch these beautiful birds.

5. Ride the Ormond Scenic Loop
When you’re on Beach Street, you’re in the heart of urban Daytona Beach, seemingly well-removed from secluded shoreline drives. You’re closer than you think. Head north on Beach Street, beyond the retail area and the Main Street causeway, and you’re on the Ormond Scenic Loop & Trail (Google it for details). It’s a scenic, pleasant ride that takes you out of the city and away from rally traffic. Watch for wildlife, stop for lunch and feel your blood pressure drop.

6. Ride Into the Infield at the Speedway
Odds are, you won’t be racing on the track at Daytona International Speedway, but you can ride into the track’s infield. There are a couple tunnels that take you under the track and into the infield. It’s usually free, but admission is charged during some Bike Week racing. If you’ve never before seen a superspeedway like Indianapolis or Daytona, it’s worth your time. Quick track facts: Dirt was excavated from the infield to build the track banking, and the digging created Lake Lloyd. The track banking is as steep as the construction equipment could handle before it could no longer operate on the steep grade.

7. Ride to the Victory Custom Bike Contest
Head to Volusia Motorsports (1701 State Road 44, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168; Phone: 386-428-2212) and take in the Victory Custom Bike Contest on Wednesday afternoon, March 13. You’ll be blown away by the awesome Victory customs on hand, and you’ll meet some great people.

8. Ride on the Victory Ride to the Victory Reception
Ride with Gunny and several hundred of your closest Victory friends on the Victory Ride on Friday, March 15. The ride starts at Volusia Motorsports at 11 a.m. sharp. It will cover 68 miles with a sheriff’s department escort and end at the Victory Reception at 1 p.m. The reception will be at the Blue Grotto in the Halifax Marina (125 Basin St., Daytona Beach, FL 32114). REGISTER for the Victory Ride and the Victory Reception.

9. Take a Victory Demo Ride
Need help deciding which Victory model will be your next new bike? Take a Victory Demo Ride on any of the 2013 models. You’ll enjoy a great guided ride on a mix of city streets and more up-tempo roads. Victory Demo Rides are available March 9-16, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily (last ride of each day leaves at 4:30 p.m.). Look for Victory in its traditional Speedway location: Outside the track’s Turn 4, where Richard Petty Boulevard intersects Midway Avenue.

10. Find a New Daytona Riding Adventure & and Tell Us About It
You will determine the 10th Daytona ride. Take a ride and tell Victory about it so they can share it with riders before Biketoberfest and Daytona Bike Week 2014. Let them know where you ride, what the attractions are along the way, and any great places for a break or a meal. Share it with via the Victory Mailbag.

Yeah, that’s just what I want to do, ride with an alleged half a million mostly newbies that have been drinking. No thanks, bikes are meant to be ridden solo or two up, not duck walked under the watchful eyes of the local Gestapo!

If you ride Main street,make it early in the first week and early in the day otherwise it’s stop and go all the way. As for the beach,the do gooders have it chopped up with no vehicle zones so be prepared to get on and off. The loop is a great ride and the ride to St.Augustine along the ocean via A1A is one of the better rides.